


Fade Upon A Star

by karxmels



Series: Stargazers [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27042910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karxmels/pseuds/karxmels
Summary: "Do you know what binary stars are, Kara?"Kara and Mon-El meet as children, and find a common passion with star-gazing.Karamel as binary stars AU
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Mon-El, Kara Zor-El/Mon-El, KaraMel - Relationship
Series: Stargazers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108100
Comments: 21
Kudos: 45





	Fade Upon A Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [93Mika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/93Mika/gifts).



> If you follow me on twitter, you know that I have been talking about a story I'm working on. This is not it yet, but I hope you enjoy!  
> I made a lot of research for this story, and it ended up being more fun that I thought. 
> 
> Thank you, AndromedaSmith, infinitely, for all your help. This would likely have been a disaster without you!
> 
> Quick notes:  
> \- my dear astronomer beta pointed out that constellations wouldn't look the same from different planets, therefore it wouldn't make sense that they were named the same. However, no other name for Rao's constellation felt right to me, so let's just keep it that way and ignore it.  
> \- apoastron and periastron are the points in the stars' orbit in which they are farthest and closest to each other, respectively. Nodes are in between :)
> 
> Now my dearest friend, Mika: I know you said I didn't have to do you any favor, but trust me, this isn't one! Remember last week when I messaged you to check in? At that moment I thought I could write something to help cheer you up and take your mind off of everything for a bit. I remembered you enjoyed astronomy, but I had no knowledge whatsoever on the subject! Then you hit me with that masterpiece of a book that you simply decided to send me, put me in tears for the thoughtfulness and how beautiful it looked, and I just knew I had to give this a shot, you know? I grabbed a book my dad gave me when I was 6, yes SIX, about the universe, and the binary stars caught my attention. I looked them up, and got to work! I don't know if this is your kind of thing, if you'll even enjoy it, but I can say that I had much fun writing it! Hope it makes you smile even a little bit :)
> 
> Alright, to the story!

**_twelve_ **

_apoastron_

There was a slight wind following her as she ran. Her ears could barely pick up the faint sounds her feet caused as she stepped on fallen leaves and branches, the subtle chirps coming from nocturnal birds hidden beyond her sight.

Her breathing had become uneven, her lungs working harder to keep her pace. Even so, there was a gentle smile on her face as the characteristic floral scent flooded her, as she felt the cool air swallow her into the woods.

She didn’t know when she had lost focus, but her brief moment of distraction caused surprise and disorientation as she felt her chest hit something hard. She almost lost her balance, taking a few steps back.

She raised her head, her eyes finding another pair staring down at her. She couldn’t quite make up what she saw in the dim light, curiosity rising within her racing thoughts.

_It was a boy._

He seemed to be her age, hardly taller than her. His grey eyes shone under the moonlight, his short hair somewhat tousled.

He straightened his back, turning to her. He had been leaning toward a telescope, likely attempting to browse the stars.

“Who are you?” His voice was young, not having deepened just yet. His pupils were large, quizzical.

“Kara Zor-El,” she replied, not finding the need to lie, for he didn’t look threatening. He tilted his head.

“Kryptonian, right?”

“Yeah,” she lowered her head, timid.

“What are you doing here?” His tone showed interest, no hint of accusation.

“Exploring,” she responded, her voice small. “Didn’t like being stuck inside.”

“Sounds like you’re escaping,” he stated, teasingly. She frowned, growing irritated. _Who was he to say that?_

“And who are you?” she asked, emphasizing the pronoun.

“My name’s Mon-El.” He shrugged, giving her a half smile, before he turned to the telescope again.

“And what are you doing here?” she said to his back.

“I’m escaping,” he replied, simply.

“Escaping what, exactly?”

“My parents,” he mumbled, his shoulders tensing. “My tutor gave me the telescope, and I like to sneak out at night to star-gaze.” She raised her brows, humming in response. “Do you wanna see it?”

“Um, yeah,” she agreed, walking toward him. He stepped aside, gesturing for her to take his place. She gave him a brief look before hesitantly peeking through the lens.

She gasped. The sky was navy blue, crowded with stars. The telescope allowed her to have a closer look, and she was enchanted by it.

She star-gazed occasionally on Krypton too, but this was different.

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

He observed her, smiling softly. Her hair was golden, waves falling to her back. She was biting her lip, probably trying to contain a smile, unsuccessfully. Even from beside her, he could see her upper teeth, the corners of her lip tipping up.

“That’s Corvus,” he remarked. “Rao’s constellation.”

“It’s gorgeous,” she whispered, her shy smile finally stretching.

“Here,” he uttered, silently asking to retake his place. She complied, and saw him adjust the telescope, turning it a little to the side, twisting its gears to zoom in. “Mhm,” he mumbled, as if confirming his own speculations. He stepped aside once more, and she took it as a sign to look through to the sky again. “That’s Krypton,” he explained.

She grinned. It was small, barely a shining dot on the sky, yet there was something special about it. To watch her planet from another point of view.

“How long are you staying?” he asked, pulling her out of her trance.

“Um, about two more days,” she answered, not moving.

“Would you like to meet me here, tomorrow evening? I can try to show you some other constellations.” She turned to him, meeting his eyes, a tender smile growing within her features.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

**_fourteen_ **

_descending node_

It was chilly, yet not enough to make either of them uncomfortable.

They were lying on the grass next to each other, on an open field, watching the stars.

Unlike other occasions when they met, this time there was no telescope or spyglass to help them explore. The sky had been so clear and full of stars that Mon-El just couldn’t help suggesting that they lie there, observing with their own eyes.

There were stars everywhere. Some dispersed, some forming a bright path across the sky, each and every one so extraordinary it was hard to believe it real.

They lay in silence for long minutes, comforted merely by each other’s presence.

For the both of them, it was unusual to feel the way they felt at that moment. Peaceful. Light. Untroubled. Serene.

They cherished moments where they could meet and worry only about each other and the skies. Learn and research together. Smile and laugh, but also lie silently like they were now, simply relishing the view.

“Do you know what binary stars are, Kara?” he asked her, breaking the silence, barely a whisper.

“No,” she replied, not turning to him.

“It’s two stars that constantly orbit around each other. Around their common barycenter, to be more specific. Sometimes you can see them both with a telescope, then they’re called visual binaries. Often times, they’re a single point of light, other sorts of research are needed to be able to tell if they’re really binaries.”

“That sounds nice.” She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. Silence fell over them once more, but the calm and contentment they felt spoke loud enough in their minds.

More moments passed, and Kara caught herself thinking about their bond. She couldn’t quite name it, but she could safely say it was special, and she would never dream of giving it up. He watched her, wanting to be able to hear her thoughts.

“I wish I could come here more often,” she muttered, a small frown deepening between her eyebrows.

“Me too.” He sighed. He turned his head away, looking at the sky.

She turned on her side, a hand supporting her head. She smiled at him, her gaze set on his figure as he stared forward, intensely.

“Tell me more about the binary stars?”

**_sixteen_ **

_periastron_

He was definitely something.

She tried to concentrate on his voice as she sat on the ground, leaning against a tree, trying to write down everything he said, but it was simply hard.

His back was curved toward the telescope, his skin lightly illuminated under the stars, his eyes gleaming, and his words rushed with excitement.

He was telling her about his newest discoveries, catching her up on what he’d been through while she was away.

He told her, words shooting from his mouth with unbelievable speed, about the few, yet interesting astronomy facts that Mr. Alden, his tutor, had taught him; told her about the all the different planets he’d read about; told her about the beautiful new spots he had discovered and hoped to bring her to soon.

She couldn’t help but grin as she watched.

_He was adorable._

Realizing she wouldn’t get anywhere with her notes, she turned the page and began sketching, a small smile on her face.

She took quick glances at him, trying to delineate the marvelous sight before her. It was as if the sky, the stars, and the moon were shining with the sole purpose of blessing her view, so she could have more clarity as she traced the lines. She was well aware that she was not doing him any justice, but she was still enjoying it.

_She wanted to keep him with her even when he physically wasn’t._

“What are you writing over there?” he asked, making her eyes leave the paper to meet his.

“Just the stuff you’re telling me,” she lied. She bit her lip, her gaze shifting to the ground for a brief second, before returning to him. She inhaled deeply, her chest rising, her cheeks flushing, her lips pressed together.

He stretched his neck to look at the notepad, an amused smirk growing on his face.

“You’re drawing me,” he stated, provokingly. He hadn’t expected it, yet he didn’t show surprise. “Never would I have imagined that one day I’d be a Kryptonian’s muse.” She laughed, bringing her hands to her face.

“Well, you’re quite the sight to behold.” Her voice was muffled as she slowly lowered her hands. Her eyes bore into his, wide and powerfully blue. He felt something flutter down his stomach, his smug grin being replaced by a genuine, large smile.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” Her cheeks darkened even more. She dropped her shoulders, releasing a chuckle.

_Her companion star._

**_eighteen_ **

_ascending node_

“Mon-El,” she whined, letting herself be pulled by his hand, barely making any effort to walk by herself. Her forehead was creased, her voice almost a groan. “How long till we get there?”

“We’re really close, Kara.” He smiled, picking up his pace. Kara stumbled behind him, his velocity taking her by surprise, making her almost trip over her feet.

“You’ve said that at least ten times already.”

“It’s worth it, you’ll see.”

He came to an abrupt stop, causing her chest to hit his back.

Somehow, they had ended up in the middle of a natural garden. Around them, there were plants she had never seen before. Many showed flowers, diversely varying in shapes and colors. They were short enough to not block their view of the sky, which, like most times he took her to star-gaze, was clear. She spotted his telescope, already set up in front of her, right in the middle of the garden.

“Nice, huh?” he asked, bumping her shoulder. Her eyes glowed as she turned to him, her smile as gorgeous as he had remembered.

“Beautiful,” she whispered.

“Old Alden told me about this place a few months ago. Naturally, I had to go find it myself.” He winked, and she slapped his shoulder.

He guided her to the telescope, granting her the first look. He had a hand on her back as she watched the sky through the lens, and followed her gaze to the stars.

Right as he did so, a white, bright trail crossed the sky above them; she had witnessed it up close.

A shooting star.

She leaned away from the telescope, touching his arm, searching his eyes. Tears were threatening to fall, but kept still over her lower lash line.

“Happy birthday, Kara.” His voice was soft, but deep enough to make her skin flush, her arms tingle. She stared into his eyes, shifting her gaze from the left one to the right, before moving to his lips.

For two years, she had wondered what they would taste like.

The first time such thoughts crossed her mind, she had been terrified. She had never felt anything of that nature, how could she possibly know that it was kissing him that she wanted?

She had kept such wishes silenced, buried deep into her heart.

Nevertheless, as she stared at him, she wasn’t sure she would be able to resist any longer.

They looked so pink, so appealing, so smooth, so…

_Oh._

They were everything they looked like, everything she thought they would be.

_He tasted amazing._

She brought her hands to his cheeks, as he deepened the kiss. His arms circled her waist, bringing her closer to him.

One of her hands threaded his hair, one of his traveling up and down her back.

She sucked at his bottom lip, he released a gentle moan.

They pulled away, breathing heavily against each other’s mouths. He kept his eyelids closed for a while longer, she observed his face.

He opened his eyes, finding hers.

_Comets._

Tears welled up in her eyes once more. Kara brought her arms around his neck, pulling him to her again. She buried her face on his shoulder, silently crying. He squeezed her middle in his embrace.

She didn’t like feeling like this.

He didn’t like seeing her like that.

 _Had he done something wrong?_ He was about to ask her, when she sniffed, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. She rubbed her nose against his shoulder, tears streaming down her face. He ran his hands down her back, his fingertips pressing against her knots, in an attempt to soothe her muscles.

He had a faint idea of what she was sorrowful about. He closed his eyes, breathing her scent in, trying to run from those thoughts because… _he felt the same way._

This thing between them… it was beautiful, and breathtaking, but… it was also hard.

 _So_ hard. 

She thought about him all the time, counting the days till the next time they could see each other again. She hated the secrets they had to keep, the torturing months they had to spend apart. 

He was the only thing she was certain about, and yet, the most confusing one. 

She wanted more, and so did he.

It pained him that he was the one putting her through all that suffering. Yet, he couldn't risk it. Couldn't risk putting her in more danger than she already was.

If his mother found out...

“Kara.” He got her attention, “I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry."

“I know.” She moved her face, pressing it against his chest. He brought a hand to her hair, brushing the strands, massaging her scalp. Tears filled his eyes this time. “I know.”

**_twenty-one_ **

_apoastron_

“Kara,” he exhaled, relieved. He rushed toward her, immediately enveloping her in his arms.

He took a minute to breathe her in, closing his eyes, relishing her warmth. Her arms slowly circled his neck, hesitant.

She had taken longer than usual to return, and it had gotten him concerned.

They had always had to be extremely careful when it came to communication. They couldn’t risk being caught or tracked.

A few people had proven to be trustworthy, helping them reach each other when needed. Even so, they had to keep their messages short and vague, as an extra precaution in case one of them went astray.

For that reason, finally seeing her in front of him and feeling her in his embrace had taken a huge weight off his shoulders. It was hard to not worry about her daily.

_He just wanted her to be okay._

“Mon-El,” she uttered, after she was unable to pull away, for he only held her stronger when she tried.

“Just a little bit longer,” he whispered into her shoulder.

“Mon-El.”

“Okay.” He pulled away, sighing.

“I need to tell you something,” she said, looking down. She bit her lip, raising her gaze to his eyes.

 _She looked nervous,_ he thought. It couldn’t be good.

He rubbed his palms against his thighs, anxiety growing inside him. He nodded at her, fearing her next words.

“I’m leaving with my father’s group of scientists to explore new planets. We want to study their structure, culture, raw material and… other things.” She couldn’t meet his eyes, dreading his reaction. The pain she was feeling was already too suffocating, she couldn’t bear to feel his as well.

He felt his breathing sharpening, his heart rate speeding.

_She couldn’t be leaving him, could she?_

“How long will you be gone?” he asked, not sure if he was ready to hear her answer. Kara looked at the ground, pressing her lips together, her eyes filling with tears.

“I don’t know.” He was sure his heart had broken at that point. “I just… I can’t take anymore of what we’re doing, Mon.”

She hated how her voice cracked as she uttered his name.

“Kara, no,” he shook his head, grabbing her hands.

“Mon-El, what do you suggest then?” She stared into his watery eyes, pleading for him to understand. “We’ve been doing this for years. Soon you’ll have to be married, anyway. It’s probably for the best.”

She wanted to believe her words. Wanted desperately to believe that it was all she could do, that it was really for the best.

Nevertheless, it was hard, harder than she could have forecasted. She swore she could feel her heart constrict, the layers she had built around it being mercilessly stripped. Keeping a straight face was taking up all of her strength. If she didn't, she would be left naked and broken before him, and she couldn't bear that.

“No, we can figure it out. I can, I can talk to my parents,” he released her hands, taking his to his hair, “I’ll give up the crown, I’ll do anything, Kara, don’t go,” he stammered, choking on a sob.

“You know I can’t ask that from you. I’m tired, and I know you are as well.”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Mon-El.” She reached forward to cup his face. “You’ll be okay. You’ll change this planet, I’m sure of it. You’ll be the best king Daxam has ever had. I just won’t be here to see it.” _But I will be with you, as you will be with me. Always._

“Kara.” _Don’t go._

_And so, she left._

He broke down as soon as he lost sight of her, falling to his knees, bereft.

She sobbed as soon as she started her ship, tears streaming down her face, her chest too tight, too aching.

**_twenty-three_ **

_descending node_

Almerac was an odd world.

Terrestrial and covered mostly by oceans, it should’ve been a pleasant place to be. There were jungles and a great diversity of species, but something about it was always off.

The planet was dark, and its energy made him uneasy. Perhaps it was because of the violent nature of its people, but Mon-El didn’t like being there for too long. Nevertheless, his father wouldn’t hear of it, and sent him there on business anyway.

He felt it safe to say things hadn’t gone great. He was running within the forest, eager to find a place to rest and call his driver.

He placed a hand on a tree, leaning on it for support. He was reaching for the device in his pocket, when he thought he heard someone close by.

He frowned. There shouldn’t be anyone else there, and yet he had the strange feeling that he knew that panting sound. He turned around, and saw the person standing a few feet from him. Frightened eyes met his, and he saw her freeze under his gaze, just as recognition washed over both of them.

“Mon-El?” She was still breathing heavily, thus the trepidation in her voice.

“What are you doing here, Kara?”

“You need to help me get out of here, please,” she begged, approaching him. He could see that she wasn’t terrified, but some fear was still visible in her eyes.

“What happened?” He took more steps toward her, examining her state. She didn’t look hurt, at least.

“I was here to research, my group was going to come pick me up in a few days so we could all meet on Krypton for new directions, but I somehow managed to offend the Almeracians, and now they’re after me.”

He suddenly understood her exasperation. His eyes widened and he nodded, not able to form many words. He tried to process the fact that she was right there, counting on him to help her run from presumed danger; merely seeing her after so long had been enough to take a toll on him.

“I was trying to find somewhere to hide until they came get me, but if you can take me to Krypton, I can let them know they don’t need to come. Please, Mon-El.” Her eyes were pleading, vulnerable, and he instantly knew she couldn't stay there any longer either.

“Yeah, of course,” he whispered.

He stared into her eyes, searching for anything, really. He yearned to know how she was holding up, yearned to know about the adventures she’d gone on, yearned to hear her rants and stories.

But he didn’t think he could. _Not if she would just leave again._

Their daze was broken when they heard steps behind them. Mon-El turned around, and spotted two men approaching. He felt Kara grip his arm tightly, her knuckles turning white.

On instinct, he grabbed her upper arms and led them both to the side, turning them around so that she was pressed against a tree. He shielded her body with his, hoping that with the little light they received, and the dark colors he wore, they would blend in with the forest.

The sound of footsteps began to fade, the hope that they had passed unnoticed flooding their senses. Mon-El waited a few more moments to move, ensuring the men were distant enough.

It was only when he heard, or rather, _felt_ her exhale heavily with relief that he became aware of the position they were in.

Her chest moved up and down, and he felt it directly through his. Their bodies were pressed together from top to bottom. His chest followed her erratic rhythm, the vibrations coming from him melding with hers. Their faces were hardly inches apart, they could feel each other’s breaths tickling their skin.

His eyes had been unfocused, traveling between the woods, her features, before finding hers, at last.

_Comets._

He cleared his throat, his gaze moving to the ground, his hand on the tree helping him push himself up, reestablishing a safe distance.

“That was close,” she said, chuckling.

“Yeah.” He grabbed his device from his pocket, and concentrated on calling the driver. “He should be here soon.” She nodded.

She tilted her head up at the sky, smiling when she found it starry.

“Bet you one of those is a binary star,” she joked. He wanted to smile, to laugh at her reference, but he could only wince.

_It was fucking painful._

She noticed the downfall of his expression, and sighed. “Sorry,” she uttered.

“Don’t be.”

_It didn't hurt any less when they were, once again, forced to part._

_The only difference was that time had made them used to the pain, endless as it seemed._

**_twenty-five_ **

_periastron_

_Heavy. Burdened. Helpless._

He didn’t know what to do.

He wanted to instigate change. He wanted to be better, to make things better. He wanted to help those who so desperately needed him to, wanted to give them the hope of a brighter future.

Only he didn’t know if he had any hope to spare.

They had made it perfectly clear that, were he to try any of his “hideous” ideas, he would lose all the power he never truly held.

They had made it perfectly clear that the fact that he was their son didn’t make him any less susceptible to being punished, locked in a cell, or exiled.

They had made it perfectly clear that, even when king, he would have no say in the important matters.

Thus, he _ran._

He knew he was more than likely to come back eventually. He knew he couldn’t bear living with the knowledge that he didn’t try harder.

Still, he ran.

He needed this time; needed to think. Perhaps with a clear head he would be able to form a plan, to convince himself that he could do it, even if he had to wait a couple more decades.

He looked at the sky, at the mountains. He laughed.

It was surely one of the most beautiful planets he had ever set foot on, Sedenach. Tears flooded his eyes, probably due to an overload of emotions. He crouched, sitting on the grass.

He rested his elbow on his knee, supporting his head with his hand. A crystal staircase emerged, raising him up. He sighed, shaking his head. _Beautiful._

“Mon-El?”

_It couldn’t be, could it?_

He turned his head toward the source of the voice, and there she was.

 _Gorgeous,_ glowing under the sunlight.

Her smile was heartbreakingly wide, her eyes shining blue. He smiled.

“What are you doing here, Kara?”

“Exploring,” she replied, walking up the staircase. She sat beside him, as if it were the natural step to take. “And you?”

“Escaping,” he breathed, lowering his head.

“Your parents?” she asked, and he hummed in response, nodding.

They stayed there, sat next to each other, a comfortable silence engulfing them. They stared at the stunning view in front of their eyes, not daring to break the moment.

She sighed, her eyes narrow, a subtle, calm smile on her face.

“We really are like binary stars, aren’t we?” she questioned, not looking at him. “No matter how much we try to distance ourselves, there always seems to be this invisible force pulling us together. Having us orbit around each other.” He chuckled, turning to her, observing her side profile.

“Yeah, I guess so.” His voice was deep and husky, and she hadn’t noticed how much she’d missed it until then.

She turned to him, capturing his gaze within hers. She could only sustain a few seconds of staring into his unfathomable eyes, the ones she had dreamed about for longer than she would like to admit, before she shifted.

Her lips closed the gap between them, crashing against his. Her hand traveled to his shoulder, which had been tense due to surprise. He soon regained his composure, bringing a hand to her hair.

Her other hand cupped his cheek and soon she was on his lap, kissing him over and over again. He sucked at her bottom lip one more time before he was forced to pull away.

He breathed heavily, pressing his face against her shoulder. She stroked his hair as he held her tightly to himself.

“What do we do now?” she enquired, smiling gently, her cheek pressed against his temple.

“I don’t know. Whatever you want, just… just don’t leave again.” Her shoulders slumped, the pain of what she had done hitting her all at once. She shook it away, concentrating on him.

“Couldn’t if I wanted to.” She placed a kiss on his hair, closing her eyes, reveling in his embrace.

**Author's Note:**

> What are your thoughts? I hope you liked it!  
> You can imagine anything in the end, really. They could go back to Daxam and take the throne; they could explore the universe together; they could stay on Sedenach for a while more... anything!  
> Thank you so much for reading. Thank you, Andromeda, once more, for all your help!  
> Mika, I hope I did this justice :)
> 
> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated!


End file.
